Top Benefits Of Group Exercise

November 5, 2018

They say misery loves company, so why not come try a group fitness class at the McGaw Y? Let me explain. I think exercise is fun in a sweaty, challenging, sometimes miserable, burning lungs or legs, kind of way. My clients regularly clue me in on the fact that not everyone has the same idea of fun. Apparently gasping for air and pushing your muscles to fatigue, while perspiring through your shirt, are not signs of a good time for everyone. I have also heard the rumor that even when exercise does not involve pushing personal limits, it is still unappealing to a lot of people. But, we all know exercise is good for us, so I have a suggestion to make it a little less miserable: try group exercise.

Group exercise classes can:

Help challenge you to do hard things

You are an amazingly efficient biological organism. When you exercise consistently for a few weeks, you wake up your sleeping neurons and muscle fibers and start to feel stronger. When you work out for a few months, you develop stronger muscles, train your lungs to take in more oxygen, and begin to see and feel physical changes in appearance. But here is the down side to being such a marvelous biological specimen: if you keep doing the same weight or cardio routine for several months without change, you will stop seeing progress.

Your body needs overload to progress. Overload means providing the body with more stress than it is accustomed to by using a heavier weight, a faster pace, or novel movement patterns. Overload is creating discomfort in some way and who wants to do that to themselves? Well, some of us do, but not all of us. A group exercise class can help you push yourself. The instructor will encourage you to safely go a little longer, lift a little more, or squeeze out one more rep. Seeing the people next to you will also encourage you to stick with a harder workout, thereby creating overload.

Be motivational

You are not alone. That person pumping his legs on the spin bike, or lifting her barbell in Body Bump, is working through the same feelings as you. That guy in yoga fell over during tree pose and laughed just like you did last week. When you are starting to feel fatigued, seeing other people pushing through can give you the will to keep going. If you are alone, you can just put the weight down or hop off the treadmill and no one notices. When you are in a class you can lock eyes with someone and silently acknowledge yeah this is tough, or awkward, but we are doing it!

Build community, consistency, and accountability

When you come to group classes regularly you often make new friends and people notice when you are not there. There is a natural check-in that takes place when someone hasn’t seen you in awhile. I have noticed this in the Wellness Center between members who come at regular times and it happens even more often in classes. If you know someone is waiting for you, you are less likely to skip out. You even start to look forward to seeing your cohorts and hearing about their week. You have the opportunity to start talking with others about the challenges of weight loss, or regular exercise, or just every day life. The social aspect of working out with others can get you to the Wellness Center and help you enjoy it more when you are there. You even release more endorphins when working out with others. Unless you are having a really bad day, you usually smile more than you would when alone. Guess what, smiling while exercising releases more endorphins. More good feeling equals more motivation to exercise!

Add diversity and relieve boredom in your workouts

There are some individuals with the peculiar ability to internally motivate themselves to follow the same fitness routine for X amount of days, for X amount of months, for years on end. If you are one of them, you amaze me. Most of us get bored.

Trying new classes is a way to reinvigorate your workout. You could learn some new moves while having some fun and treating your body to that overload it desires. Remember new movement patterns are just one way to progress. If you don’t change up your routine, your body knows exactly how many calories to burn and exactly what neurons and motor units to fire. While you get a prize for being one of the 23% of Americans who get enough exercise, doing the same thing all the time may lead you to boredom in both mind and body.

You don’t have to think, just move

You have to think a lot all day. About work, kids, pets, food, bills, or whatever the heck is going on with the political landscape. A group exercise class puts someone else in the driver’s seat and you can just follow along to somebody who has already thought about your workout for you. You can focus on what your body is feeling without having to think about what to do next.

Or, maybe you know you need to stretch or work on your core. You don’t have time to research the best ways to do this, so why not take a yoga or pilates class and have a certified instructor guide you through a routine. You don’t have to think. You just show up and get the movement your body craves.

Check out our group exercise classes at the McGaw Y

If you are new to exercise and not sure what to do, looking for a new twist on your routine, or craving a little social interaction with other people seeking to improve their health, try a group class. Here at the McGaw Y, we have hundreds of group class options for you to explore! View our group training programs here.

Working hard, learning new things, and pushing yourself isn’t really misery, especially when you are exercising in a group. Sweating can be fun and good for you. Let us show you how.